Isro invites private firms to build 5 PSLVs

This marks a major shift in the way Isro, now in its 50th year, has been working over the decadesChethan Kumar | TNN | August 17, 2019, 16:30 IST

It is now official. In a major push for PM Narendra Modi’s Make-in-India initiative, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has finally invited Indian companies to build five Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs).

Confirming this on Friday, Isro chairman K Sivan told TOI: “At this moment we have called for an EOI (expression of interest), and it is not open for any foreign firm. Isro has been considering this for a while, and we think this will boost the Make-in-India initiative of the government.”

This marks a major shift in the way Isro, now in its 50th year, has been working over the decades. According to a senior official from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) the cost of one fully integrated PSLV launch vehicle is Rs 200 crore. This means that the value of the deal Isro is offering private industry—to build five PSLVs—is at least Rs 1,000 crore.

However, Sivan did not wish to comment on the cost. The space agency’s new commercial arm—New Space India Limited (NSLI)—has been made responsible for handling the process of technology transfer to the industry.

Having begun functioning under six months ago, on March 6, 2019, NSLI was established to, among other things, achieve the productionisation of PSLV through Indian industry.

Elaborating on whether Indian industry is ready to take up such projects, Sivan said: “We think they are. There are some big companies like HAL and L&T that already work with us on PSLV. We are confident that they will, together as a consortium, be able to participate in this process and deliver results.”

In fact, NSLI has mandated that only a consortium can participate in the EoI, and is expecting submissions by September 6. In January, Sivan had said that HAL and L&T have already signed an agreement and that the production will soon begin. “There will also be other companies like Godrej and many more smaller companies,” Sivan said on Friday.

Any PSLV launch sees more than 150 industries, big and small, contribute to the vehicle. Some of the key contributors have been HAL and L&T.

HAL, which has been Isro’s partner in multiple segments—whether it is making the PSLV and GSLV structures or contributing to the CE-20 cryogenic engine—has been hoping to lead the consortium to build PSLV since last year. In fact, as on date, HAL has orders for 24 sets of PSLV structures and two sets of GSLV.

L&T too has had a long association with Isro that dates back to 1975, and has been part of building PSLV over the years. In fact, the S139 solid rocket boosters that the PSLV has uses motor casings made by L&T. The company has also been vocal about its business with Isro increasing.

Col HS Shankar, CMD, Alpha Design, which has been making satellites for Isro, said: “This is a welcome move. It is the right time for Isro to have opened up the market for private players, and we are confident that the industry will deliver.” While he confirmed that Alpha is aggressively looking at participating in the process, he did not comment on whether it will be along with HAL and L&T or as a separate consortium.